Littlefoot grizzly bear cub released back into wild

Littlefoot, agrizzlycub who lost his mother last fall, has been released back into the wild near Cranbrook, B.C..

The orphanedcub was found this June after hibernating alone. He was severely underweight, weighing only 22 kilograms.

Since then he has been nursed back to health by Northern Lights Wildlife Society, whichruns Grizzly Rehab, a pilot project rescuing motherless cubs.

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Littlefoot, now weighing ahearty 65 kilograms, was released on Tuesday away from human activitynear the area where he was found last year.

Society founder Peter Langen saidLittlefoot was a playful bearwho liked to get people's attention while being rehabilitated.

"He is a really gentle character...Grizzlies are far more intelligent than black bears, I think," said Langen. "It's the nicest thing, especially on a day like this, when you see an animal can go into freedom again."

The cub joins12 other grizzly bears rescued as part of the Grizzly Rehab project then releasedback into the wild.

Langen's wife and society co-founder Angelika Langen says she believes it is the only official grizzly bear rehabilitation project in Canada.

"So far most of the bears have done really well," said Langen. "It's giving us a really good understanding of the bears...and as the numbers of bears dwindle, rehabilitation might become much more important."

Littlefoot wasmicrochipped, eartagged, tattooed and fitted with a satellite collar before his release and will be monitored for the next 18 months.